Helpful Resources

A death has occurred

When Death Occurs

Haywood Funeral Home understands that the death
of a loved one is a tremendously emotional event. The stress and confusion that
follows a death can be overwhelming. If the death was sudden or unexpected,
your first reaction may be shock and uncertainty as to what should be done
next. If the death was expected (for example, a hospice patient who dies at
home), your family may still benefit from the guidance provided below.

What are the very first things to do when a death occurs?

If the deceased was actively participating in a
hospice program:

Do not call 911. Instead, call
your hospice nurse to inform her of the death. The nurse and the hospice agency
will work together to legally pronounce the death, handle any necessary calls,
and help with arrangements to have the deceased transferred to our funeral
home.

If the deceased was not in a hospice program:

1. Call 911

2. Unlock the door

3. If your loved one has an out-of-hospital, Do Not
Resuscitate (DNR) document, have it ready to hand to the paramedics immediately
when they arrive

4. Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if
this is appropriate, and there is no existing DNR document

5. Wait for further instructions from the
emergency, medical, and law enforcement personnel.

When you call 911, both the police
and the paramedics will probably respond. Paramedics will treat a
“non-attended” (non-hospice) death like any other patient at risk. They do not
expect ordinary citizens or the family to be expert at determining death, so
they will likely initiate emergency medical procedures. They will also probably
take the person to the emergency room of the nearest hospital, where death may
be officially pronounced by the emergency room doctor.

If your loved one has previously
signed a Do Not Resuscitate order, or DNR, and you have the document ready to
show the emergency personnel, they can forgo attempting cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR). However, they will probably still transport the deceased
to the emergency room, so that the doctor may make the official death
pronouncement.

We are here to help

Haywood Funeral Home is here to help you
navigate the tasks that must be done immediately following the death of your
loved one. Please contact one of our funeral directors if you need more
information or have immediate need for our assistance.